


Happy Little Trees

by thoma5nator



Category: Caduceus | Trauma Center Series
Genre: Cute, F/M, Painting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 13:48:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20228866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thoma5nator/pseuds/thoma5nator
Summary: Hank gets some paints in a Secret Santa.





	Happy Little Trees

“Seriously? Paints? For a guy like Hank?” whispered Maria.

“You’ve seen him! He’s a gentle giant. Hank wouldn’t hurt a fly! It’s perfect!”

“Yeah, but paints? I can’t get my head around it.”

“Oh come on, Maria. I don’t need to remind you what you were originally going to get Naomi.”

“I seriously had no idea what to get her. She plays all her cards so close to her chest it’s hard to figure out what she likes.”

“Okay, but your first idea was the definition of tone deaf. It would have been like getting you a soccer ball.”

Maria stopped, almost hurt. “...I would have liked a soccer ball...”

“Hank! Me and the rest of the day shift were thinking of getting a couple beers. Think you may wanna come along, man?” asked Dr. Cunningham

“Uh, no, but thanks for the offer, Doctor”

“You sound like you got something planned for tonight.”, jeered Gabe, his tone rising in an auditory ‘wink-wink-nudge-nudge’

“Well, kinda. You know how I got those name-brand paints for the Secret Santa?”

“Yeah, I’d have thought landscapes and ‘happy little trees’ weren’t up your street.”

“Well, that’s the thing. I wasn’t so hot on the idea. But then Claire found out and she went and got me some canvases and some brushes. And she said I should try them out tonight.”

“Really? I suppose you’re just gonna ride it out and then go to bed for a job well done.” smirked Gabriel. To his surprise, Hank turned to face him center on, as if to cut through Gabe’s doubt that Hank might actually enjoy this.

“But that’s the thing. Claire was really excited. She said she had DVD’s of Bob Ross episodes and she was gonna clear out the front room. And to tell the truth, Gabe, I’m kinda excited too.”

Gabe’s ‘horndog’, ‘you-go-get-em’ attitude changed to an air of genuine empathy. “Well damn. You enjoy yourself Hank, and let me know how you get on.”

“I will.”

“Catch ya later, Dr. Freebird.” he said, turning and nonchalantly waving his hand in a gesture of somewhat-efforted goodbye. “Damn, his age and trying new stuff. I gotta get outta this funk.”

“Damn, you painted this?”

“Yup, watched him the whole time. It was amazing. He was hooked on Bob’s words for the first few paper runs. When we switched to canvases it was like he became someone else.”

“Yeah, this is not bad. What’s that one?”

“Don’t look!” Hank said hurredly, holding one canvas close to his chest.

“Well after the first few good ones, Dr. Freebird here thought he was Picasso and tried to paint something entirely out of his strike zone.” said Claire.

“It’s… it’s not good.” Hank said,

“Really, I’ll be the judge of that.”

“It’s like that fresco that one old lady tried to restore.”

“Stop.”

“Show him it.”

“Ugh, okay.”

Claire’s comment about ‘that fresco the one old lady tried to restore’ wasn’t too far from the truth.

“It… uh. It looks… interesting. Who’s it supposed to be? Your mother?”

“It’s supposed to be Claire!”

**Author's Note:**

> For those who don't know what I'm talking about when I say 'that one lady that tried to restore that fresco', here's Wikipedia to the rescue: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecce_Homo_(Mart%C3%ADnez_and_Gim%C3%A9nez,_Borja)


End file.
